Ingot holder



Nov. 20, 1951 NIXON 2,575,829

INGOT HOLDER Filed 001. 7, 1947 V Z INVENTOR. L owrk/zce !./.M 4 0,

ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 20, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE f INGOTHOLDER? LawrenceJ. Nixon, Pittsburgh; Pa.

Application October 7, 1947, (Serial No. 778,304

1 Claim. (01.,206-65).

This invention relates to an ingot holder or I storage bin, and moreparticularly to a device of this character that will retain type metalingots in'a vertical position until used. Thus the ingots may be moreeasily stored, transported or handled with the greatest possible easeand efficiency.

Ingot molds difier from each other in size and shape so that ingots castin a small mold would have play or wobble if stored in an ingotholderdesigned for ingots cast in a large mold.- Also, if insufficient moltenmetal is poured intoa mold, an undersized ingot is formed.

The important objector" this invention, therefore, is to provide aningot holder that, regardless of shape or size, will hold an ingottherein in a vertical manner until used, permitting a more expeditiousmanner and handling of the ingots.

With the above and other objects and advantages in view, the inventionconsists of the novel details or" construction, arrangement andcombination of parts more fully hereinafter described, claimed andillustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

, Figure l is a plan view of an ingot holder showing one form of ingotretainer forming an em bodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is an elevationalview of the form of ingot retaining meansshown :in Figure l;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of another form of ingot retaining means;

Figure 4 is an elevational view of the form of ingot retaining meansshown in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a top plan view of another form of ingot retaining means;

Figure 6 is an elevational view of the form of ingot retaining meansshown in Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a top plan view of another form of ingot retaining means;

Figure 8 is a top plan view of another form of ingot retaining means;

Figure 9 is a top plan view of another form of ingot retaining means;

Figure 10 is a vertical sectional view of the ingot holder shown inFigure 9;

Figure 11 is a top plan View of another form of ingot retaining means;

Figure 12 is a vertical sectional view of the retaining means shown inFigure 11;

Figure 13 is a vertical sectional view of an ingot holder and anotherform of ingot retaining means and Figure 14 is a vertical sectional viewof an ingot holder and another form of ingot retaining means.

2.. Referring-more in -detail to the drawing-, the reference numeral 20designates "a box-like ingot holder having a longitudinally extendingcentral partition- 2! whichdiv-ides the holder into two compartments 22and 23 respectively.

The ingot retaining means 24 may be termed a "U -shaped-or a V-shapedpiece of spring metal, having out-turned outer edgesr25; The retainingmeans isalternately secured to the inner surface of the side walls andboth surfaces of the partition lt-yefasteninglmeanslfia The retainingmeans are spaced from eaohxotherior adistance to permit easy removal oftheringots 21:, and the retainingmeans alternately retaining the ingotin the holder in :a lrigidverltical position. Thewpressure of the springformed retainingmeans-prevents wobb'ling of the ingots. This form ofretaining meansengagesthe smallfend of thein'got.

The ingot'retaining' means 28 comprises a piece or spring metal: havinga base portion 29 secured by'iasteningmeansdt to the surface of thesides walls and partition, as previously described. Formed on the base;ateaoh end thereofi'are the inclined arms 3%) and 30- respectively,which 'bear against-tithe sides of the ingot to hold it inlplace".This-former retaining; means. engages the bottom of the ingot 2Ttorpreventwobbling of the ingot;

The ingot retaining "means 3i comprisesta platerti having' spacedoutwardly disposed blades 33 and. 33 whichengage:on'opposite. sides of;the small end of the ingot 21. Engaging the plate on the opposite sideis a curved spring 34 which is secured to the surface of the side wallsand partition, by the fastening means 26 asprevious- 1y described. Thepressure of the spring forces the plate into engagement with the ingotto prevent wobbling thereof.

In Figure 7, the ingot retaining means comprises the parallel blades 35and 35 secured to the surfaces of the sidewalls and partitions aspreviously described, while a curved spring 36 is secured diametricallyopposite to the blades to the surfaces of the sidewalls and partition bythe fastening means 26. In this form the spring engages the bottom ofthe ingot 21 to force the small end into engagement with the blades toprevent wobbling of the ingot.

If desired, in both instances, the blades may be sharpened to dig intothe soft metal of the ingot.

In Figure 8, the ingot retaining means 31 is similar to the ingotretaining means 2 1, being U- shaped or V-shaped, having out-turned ends38 on which are formed blades 39 and 39. These blades engage the smallend of the ingot 21 to prevent wobbling of the ingot and these bladesmay also be sharpened if desired.

In Figure 9, the inner surfaces of the side walls and both surfaces ofthe partition 2 I, are provided with vertical slots 40 and 40respectively, which are in offset relation to each other. Into theseslots are placed plates or partitions M and 4| respectively. and acurved spring 42 intermediate these partitions, forces the partitionsapart into engagement with the ingots to retain each ingot in a separateacute angled pocket 43 in the compartments 22 and 23 to prevent wobblingof the ingots.

In Figures 11 and 12, partitions 44 divide the compartments 22 and 23into acute angled pockets 45, and the ingot retaining means, 46comprises a U-shaped spring clamp having outer ends 41 which is forcedover the upper edge of the partition 44 and secured thereto by fasteningmeans 26.

The spring engages the ingot to force the ingot into the sides of thepockets to prevent wobbling thereof.. 7

The ingot holder 48, shown in Figure 13, is boxlike in formation, butthe top edges of the side walls have an inturned right angled flange 49while a right angled flange 50 replaces the partition 2|. Extendinglongitudinally of the holder 48, at the upper edge of the end wallsthereof, is the rail while a second rail 52 is carried by the end wallsdirectly below and parallel to the rail 5!. Secured to the rails 5| and52, intermediate thereof, and spaced relatively to each other byfastening means 26, are the elliptical shaped springs 53 which engagethe ingots to prevent wobbling thereof.

The ingot holder 54, shownin Figure 14, is similar to the ingot holder48 having the integral right angled flange 55 formed at the top edges ofthe walls of the holder, and the rail '56 which extends longitudinally.of the holder. In this instance, the elliptical shaped spring 51 extendsthe entire distance from the undersurface of the rail to the bottom ofthe holder 54 and is secured at its ends by fastening means v26 to therail and holder. The spring engages the ingots and the surface of thebottom of the holder is roughed at 58 to prevent wobbling of the ingots.

The pockets in the holders, the holders and ingots may be of anyshapein. common use, and

the retaining means used are to be the best adapted for the particularingot and holder to be used.

The principal object of the invention is to retain the ingots regardlessof shape or size, in a holder for storing, transportation or handlingpurposes, so that the ingots can be handled with the greatest possibleease and efliciency.

From the foregoing description, it is believed that the operation,advantages and construction of the various holders and retaining meanswill be apparent to those skilled in the art, and it is to be understoodthat changes in the minor details of construction may be resorted to,provided they fall within the spirit of the invention and the scope ofthe appended claim.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent is:

A device of the character described, comprising a box like holder foringots and retaining means carried by said holder for retaining said,

ingots in a spaced vertical relation to each other, and said holder isformed with a longitudinally extending centrally located partition andsaid retaining means is substantially U or V-shaped in cross-section,having out-turned ends and inwardly directed blades formed thereoninwardly of the out-turned ends thereof and said retaining means aresecured to the inner surface of the holder and to both sides of thepartition in alternate spaced relation to each other.

LAWRENCE J. NIXON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 828,145 Snodgrass Aug. 7, 19061,045,607 Payne Nov. 26, 1912 1,115,270 'Arnold Oct. 27, 1914 1,980,141MacGregor Nov. 6, 1934 2,215,118 Flood Sept. 17, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTSNumber Country Date 6,424 Great Britain 1908

